This article is from the source 'independent' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/burns-night-haggis-address-poem-2018-robert-burns-scotland-poet-a8175671.html

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Burns Night 2018: How to address your haggis, courtesy of Robert Burns Burns Night poem: How to address your haggis
(about 20 hours later)
Every year Scotland honours its national poet, Robert Burns (1759-1796), on his birthday. Every year Scotland honours its national poet, Robert Burns (1759-1796), on his birthday. 
Burns wrote over 550 poems in the second half of the 18th century and remains an icon of the Romantic period and a hero for his liberal and socially-minded political outlook.Burns wrote over 550 poems in the second half of the 18th century and remains an icon of the Romantic period and a hero for his liberal and socially-minded political outlook.
The centrepiece of the Burns Night festivities remains the noble haggis - a delicacy comprised of a sheep's heart, liver and lungs boiled with mincemeat, suet and onions in its own stomach.The centrepiece of the Burns Night festivities remains the noble haggis - a delicacy comprised of a sheep's heart, liver and lungs boiled with mincemeat, suet and onions in its own stomach.
But before the haggis, neeps and tatties can be tucked into, they must be toasted.But before the haggis, neeps and tatties can be tucked into, they must be toasted.
Burns himself wrote a poem ideally suited to this purpose, 'Address to a Haggis', an ode it has since become the custom to recite before the meal commences.Burns himself wrote a poem ideally suited to this purpose, 'Address to a Haggis', an ode it has since become the custom to recite before the meal commences.
For those whose memory needs jogging, the complete text of the address, written in Burns's inimitable dialect, is below (with an English translation to follow for the uninitiated).For those whose memory needs jogging, the complete text of the address, written in Burns's inimitable dialect, is below (with an English translation to follow for the uninitiated).
Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face, Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face, 
Great chieftain o the puddin'-race!Great chieftain o the puddin'-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place,Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye worthy o' a graceWeel are ye worthy o' a grace
As lang's my arm.As lang's my arm.
The groaning trencher there ye fill,The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a millYour pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o need,In time o need,
While thro your pores the dews distilWhile thro your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.Like amber bead.
His knife see rustic Labour dight,His knife see rustic Labour dight,
An cut you up wi ready slight,An cut you up wi ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like onie ditch;Like onie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin, rich!Warm-reekin, rich!
Then, horn for horn, they stretch an strive:Then, horn for horn, they stretch an strive:
Deil tak the hindmost, on they drive,Deil tak the hindmost, on they drive,
Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyveTill a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve
Are bent like drums;Are bent like drums;
The auld Guidman, maist like to rive,The auld Guidman, maist like to rive,
'Bethankit' hums.'Bethankit' hums.
Is there that owre his French ragout,Is there that owre his French ragout,
Or olio that wad staw a sow,Or olio that wad staw a sow,
Or fricassee wad mak her spewOr fricassee wad mak her spew
Wi perfect scunner,Wi perfect scunner,
Looks down wi sneering, scornfu viewLooks down wi sneering, scornfu view
On sic a dinner?On sic a dinner?
Poor devil! see him owre his trash,Poor devil! see him owre his trash,
As feckless as a wither'd rash,As feckless as a wither'd rash,
His spindle shank a guid whip-lash,His spindle shank a guid whip-lash,
His nieve a nit;His nieve a nit;
Thro bloody flood or field to dash,Thro bloody flood or field to dash,
O how unfit!O how unfit!
But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread,The trembling earth resounds his tread,
Clap in his walie nieve a blade,Clap in his walie nieve a blade,
He'll make it whissle;He'll make it whissle;
An legs an arms, an heads will sned,An legs an arms, an heads will sned,
Like taps o thrissle.Like taps o thrissle.
Ye Pow'rs, wha mak mankind your care,Ye Pow'rs, wha mak mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill o fare,And dish them out their bill o fare,
Auld Scotland wants nae skinking wareAuld Scotland wants nae skinking ware
That jaups in luggies:That jaups in luggies:
But, if ye wish her gratefu prayer,But, if ye wish her gratefu prayer,
Gie her a HaggisGie her a Haggis
Good luck to you and your honest, plump face,Good luck to you and your honest, plump face,
Great chieftain of the sausage race!Great chieftain of the sausage race!
Above them all you take your place,Above them all you take your place,
Stomach, tripe, or intestines:Stomach, tripe, or intestines:
Well are you worthy of a graceWell are you worthy of a grace
As long as my arm.As long as my arm.
The groaning trencher there you fill,The groaning trencher there you fill,
Your buttocks like a distant hill,Your buttocks like a distant hill,
Your pin would help to mend a millYour pin would help to mend a mill
In time of need,In time of need,
While through your pores the dews distillWhile through your pores the dews distill
Like amber bead.Like amber bead.
His knife see rustic Labour wipe,His knife see rustic Labour wipe,
And cut you up with ready slight,And cut you up with ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like any ditch;Like any ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm steaming, rich!Warm steaming, rich!
Then spoon for spoon, the stretch and strive:Then spoon for spoon, the stretch and strive:
Devil take the hindmost, on they drive,Devil take the hindmost, on they drive,
Till all their well swollen bellies by-and-byTill all their well swollen bellies by-and-by
Are bent like drums;Are bent like drums;
Then old head of the table, most like to burst, Then old head of the table, most like to burst, 
'The grace!' hums.'The grace!' hums.
Is there that over his French ragout,Is there that over his French ragout,
Or olio that would sicken a sow,Or olio that would sicken a sow,
Or fricassee would make her vomitOr fricassee would make her vomit
With perfect disgust,With perfect disgust,
Looks down with sneering, scornful viewLooks down with sneering, scornful view
On such a dinner?On such a dinner?
Poor devil! see him over his trash,Poor devil! see him over his trash,
As feeble as a withered rush,As feeble as a withered rush,
His thin legs a good whip-lash,His thin legs a good whip-lash,
His fist a nut;His fist a nut;
Through bloody flood or field to dash,Through bloody flood or field to dash,
O how unfit.O how unfit.
But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed,
The trembling earth resounds his tread,The trembling earth resounds his tread,
Clap in his ample fist a blade,Clap in his ample fist a blade,
He'll make it whistle;He'll make it whistle;
And legs, and arms, and heads will cut offAnd legs, and arms, and heads will cut off
Like the heads of thistles.Like the heads of thistles.
You powers, who make mankind your care,You powers, who make mankind your care,
And dish them out their bill of fare,And dish them out their bill of fare,
Old Scotland wants no watery stuff,Old Scotland wants no watery stuff,
That splashes in small wooden dishes;That splashes in small wooden dishes;
But if you wish her grateful prayer, But if you wish her grateful prayer, 
Give her [Scotland] a Haggis!Give her [Scotland] a Haggis!